What Would a Netflix Punisher Spinoff Look Like?

5. Who would the villain be?

In Soviet Russia, bad guys punish you.

While there’s still no concrete information about who the Punisher is going after in Daredevil season 2, we can assume that the target is a member of an organized crime family or some other criminal. A Punisher series would need to have a compelling season-long villain, so random criminals wouldn’t cut it. If there is a Netflix Punisher spinoff in the works, there’s a good chance that the big bad is the head of a crime family or some other high-ranking member of the criminal elite.

There are several crime families and crime bosses in the Marvel universe, so there are plenty of options to choose from. Jigsaw is a classic Punisher baddie and seems like an obvious choice, though he may be better saved until season 2 (giving the Punisher a chance to toss Billy “the Beaut” Russo through a glass window or otherwise disfigure his face toward the end of season 1.) Punisher foes like The Russian, Barracuda or Bushwhacker would make good lackeys for the Punisher to face off against while pursing the big bad, even if they weren’t the final target.

4. Will he be on the run?

The Punisher isn’t always the one doing the hunting.

We can assume that the police won’t be too happy with the Punisher after the events of Daredevil season 2. Would the Netflix Punisher spinoff see the Punisher on the run from the authorities? If he’s still located in New York then he might have the police looking for him, or possibly even the FBI. If he’s on the road, though, then things could get even more interesting.

In 2015 in his comics run, the Punisher had the modern incarnation of the Howling Commandos on his tail at one point. Even if Marvel didn’t use such a high-profile team, they could have a Punisher task force or similar highly-trained squad trying to track him down before he completes his next mission. This would keep things from being too easy for Frank… not only would he have to deal with his target and any protection that target would have, but he’d also find himself in the crosshairs of the law.